


Never Ending

by kenwave



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bittersweet Ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Slow Burn, i think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-13
Updated: 2016-09-13
Packaged: 2018-08-14 09:22:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8007829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenwave/pseuds/kenwave
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Have we met before?”</p>
<p>“No, if we had I would've remembered.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Ending

“Have we met before?”

“No, if we had I would've remembered,” the man Jack had approached says with a flirtatious little smile and a glint in his eyes.

“Oh, um, sorry then. I just thought you looked familiar, is all. I'll leave you to your -” he glances quickly at what the man is doing “- your, uh, essay?”

The man gives a laugh at Jack's awkward fumbling. “Not an essay.”

Jack smiles in embarrassment and gestures that he's going to leave now, not quite wanting to embarrass himself further in front of the - rather attractive, he admits - man. He grabs his coffee, a ridiculously sweet mixture that some would vehemently insist is not actually coffee, and quickly makes his escape to an empty table in the corner of the café.

As he sips his drink he looks around and notes all the different people in the small place. Most of them are waiting in line or quickly exiting once they’ve received their drinks, on a coffee break since it's the middle of the work day, dressed in their impeccable business clothing, hair neat. The only people who are actually sitting down in the café are Jack himself, the man who is currently _not_ writing an essay but is still very much tapping away at the laptop he had brought with him, and a group of people in their late teens, chatting about their plans for the future.

Future plans, right. That's why Jack is in the big city anyway. He wanted to escape the little town he had grown up in and made a run for the city as soon as he had turned eighteen. Really he should be with the group of teens on the other side of the room, he thinks, spinning the paper coffee cup in his hands for something to do.

Jack sighs loudly, he really hadn't thought much about the future. The farthest he had really planned was leaving as soon as he could. And that he did. Now he feels as if he's stuck. Stuck in a place he doesn't really know, with a steadily dwindling supply of money he had saved from doing odd jobs and working a part time job at the local butcher's.

Honestly he's surprised he's made it this far. Even spoke to a stranger that wasn't for something that’s a necessity.

Completely lost in thought, he doesn't notice when the man he had spoken to earlier slides into the seat across from him.

“Hey,” he says, startling Jack out from his thoughts.  Jack almost drops his coffee on his lap and is extremely grateful that is not the case. It had happened to him before when he had been around his friends back at home, but he laughed it off with them. He knows that scenario is completely different from the one he currently finds himself in, however.

“Oh, hey,” Jack says, placing his drink down on the table in order to avoid any future accidents. “What brings you to this table?” he asks, leaning forward, his elbows rested on the table and head in his hands, attempting to be suave when he knows somewhere in the back of his mind he's just making a fool out of himself.

The man smirks at him slightly, seeming amused by the display in front of him. Jack tries not to show the embarrassment he's beginning to feel.

“Thought you looked lonely. And I recognised that look on your face. I know that if you're anything like I am, that look means something's up in that pretty head of yours and a distraction would probably be nice.”

Jack smiles weakly in response. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

The man mirrors how Jack's sitting. “So, come here often?”

Jack snorts at the cheesiness of the line. “As a matter of fact, I don't. I'm not from here at all, actually.”

“So, let me guess. White boy from the countryside got sick of country life and decided to make it big in the city?” The man raises an eyebrow.

Jack laughs weakly and goes to clutch his coffee in his hands as if it were a lifeline. “Something like that.”

The man seems to notice the movement, but doesn't mention it.

“The name's Gabriel Reyes, by the way.” The man - Gabriel - offers rather flippantly.

“Jack Morrison,” Jack introduces himself, offering out a hand for Gabriel to shake. Gabriel raises an eyebrow at him again but takes his hand anyway, giving it a firm shake. The warmth of his large hands is something Jack notices almost immediately.

“So, country boy, what do you think of the city?”

“It's definitely something. Lots of noise. I mean, there's actually a lot of noise out in the country, but this noise is different. The light pollution is also a downer, I miss the stars,” Jack says wistfully. He remembers one of the last nights he spent in his town, sitting outside in his family's field, looking up at the stars that were painting the sky. His parents arguing a distant noise he could easily ignore.

“Sounds like you miss home. What made you leave?” Gabriel asked, curiosity showing in his eyes despite his face now appearing to be rather neutral.

Jack laughs nervously. “What is this, an interview? I didn't know that's what I signed up for by letting you sit with me.”

Gabriel must have sensed that this was a topic Jack didn't want to talk about, leaning back and huffing out a quiet “fair enough”.

The silence between them quickly grows awkward from Jack shutting down their conversation. He turns his coffee cup slowly in his hands, looking at it like it would tell him the secrets of the universe, searching for a new topic of conversation. He finds the silence suffocating. .

“So,” he begins rather uncomfortably. “What's with the furious typing at the laptop?” He nudges his head in the direction of the laptop bag slung over the back of Gabriel's chair. “Since it's not an essay.” A faint smile passes quickly over his face.

Gabriel chuckles. “It's nothing that big,” he says. Jack notices his hands twitch as if he wants to do something with them. “I'm writing a story,” he admits. “One of the many aspiring authors out there.”

Jack's eyes light up. “That's pretty exciting! And I don't think it's aspiring if you’re already an author. You _are_ writing something, aren't you? Therefore you’re an author.” Jack smiles, a proper one this time.

“Well when you put it that way.”

The rest of their conversation had moved along smoothly once they had gotten past the awkwardness of the introduction, Jack thinks later that night as he's settling down for bed in a cheap motel he rented a room from. It had ended with both of them exchanging phone numbers and Gabriel playfully saying “in case of emergencies” with a wink. Jack chuckles at the memory.

For sure this has been the most positive day he had had so far in the city. Making a friend. Sure, he had originally been out looking for jobs, but he thinks finding someone to talk to makes up for it in the long run.

Pretty soon, Jack finds his job search successful and is working a part time job at a 24/7 convenience store. It's nothing glamorous, and he knows that if his parents could see him now, they’d probably have a heart attack, or worse. They had such high hopes for their only child, constantly pressuring him about going to college and getting into a highly respectable field, like medicine. Especially medicine.

He doesn't make too much, but he makes enough that he's able to have a little bit to add to his slowly depleting bank account, most of his money going toward the motel he's still living in (who knew finding a place in the city would be so hard - and expensive) and other basic necessities.

He's almost completely forgotten about Gabriel when roughly a month and a half after their first meeting, he receives a text from the man while he's settling down for the evening.

**[Received 8:56PM] Gabe : u still living in that shitty motel?**

Confusion is the only emotion that bubbles up when Jack reads the message. Yeah, he's still living in the place, but does it really matter? And why does Gabriel care anyway?

Jack types out a quick response.

**[Sent 8:57PM] Jack M. : Yeah. So?**

He's aware his message might come off as a bit pissy, and defensive, but he's tired after working with the general public and doesn't quite care as much about how he comes across than he normally would.

His phone buzzes beside him, Gabriel's texts lighting up his notifications. Jack rolls his eyes.

**[Received 8:57PM] Gabe : my old roommate moved out and im in dire need of a new one!**

**[Received 8:58PM] Gabe : didnt give me much notice**

**[Received 8:58PM] Gabe : didnt pay her final portion of rent either**

**[Received 8:58PM] Gabe : im fucked man**

**[Received 8:59PM] Gabe : fucked.**

Jack furrows his brow in confusion at the messages. Gabriel's roommate just walks out on him? Not even paying her final portion of rent? Now, Jack's quite aware he can be naïve, but he's pretty sure that's something a roommate _shouldn't_ do. But the biggest question that pushes itself to the forefront of his mind is _why me?_

**[Sent 9:05PM] Jack M. : Why are you asking me? We barely know each other!**

**[Sent 9:06PM] Jack M. : Don't you have closer friends who'd be willing to move in with you? Not some random guy you met at a coffee shop?**

**[Received 9:06PM] Gabe : my friends r either living in res at college or have a place of their own**

**[Received 9:07PM] Gabe : ur the only one who can save this ass from getting evicted**

Jack doesn't know what to think. He's almost ready to jump at the opportunity that basically just fell into his lap, but he's also hesitant as well. All he knows about Gabriel is that he's an author, and is probably a couple years older than him. For all he knows, Gabriel could be luring him to his house to murder him and hide his body!

_Okay Jack, enough with ridiculous conspiracies. Stuff like this doesn't just happen in the city, it happens in the country as well._

With a deep breath, Jack responds positively to Gabriel's offer. He'll give him the benefit of the doubt, and besides, Jack's getting sick of living in a motel that's draped in awful 70s décor.

 

* * *

 

“ _Estás en tu casa_ ,” Gabriel says, draping his arm over Jack's shoulder and gesturing to the relatively small apartment he calls home. Jack barely pays attention to the place, more focussed on how Gabriel sounds speaking Spanish. He sounds beautiful, he thinks.

“You even listening?”

“Oh, uh, sorry. I'm overwhelmed is all.”

“I understand, first time living away from home. It can be stressful.” Gabriel takes one of the bags Jack's holding loosely and shows him to the room he'll be staying in, plopping it down on the bed with a soft ‘thump’.

For a hasty departure of a roommate, the room looks fairly unlived in, Jack notices. Nothing on the shelves, no baubles or anything that could have been accidentally forgotten in the rush. He thinks he can see some dust dancing in the light from the setting sun that's pouring through his window, but he doesn't look at it too long, his eyes burning from the brightness.

“What do you think?” Gabe sounds a bit nervous.

“It seems nice. Like a place I could get used to living in. The company doesn't seem too bad either.” Jack offers him a smile.

Gabriel returns it, and leaves the room, giving Jack time to settle himself in and unpack.

As soon as the door clicks shut, Jack lies down on the bed and sprawls out, looking at the ceiling. He can hardly imagine that he's managed to find both a job and a home in the big city. He's finally starting to get used to the city noises at night and not to be too alarmed at the nearly constant sound of sirens. For the first time in his life, he feels safe, even though he's practically living with a stranger.

After he rests for a bit he starts to unpack, putting his meagre amount of clothing in the closet. The final thing he takes out of his bag is a photo of him smiling with his aunt, uncle, their children, and the children’s grandfather. Distant relatives that felt more like a family than his parents.

With a sad smile he places it on the bedside table. He'll miss them. He'd visit but, he doesn't really intend on going back to his small town, not when the news of his return would so quickly be spread and his parents undoubtedly learning about it.

After reminiscing, Jack decides he's spent enough time sitting around and moves to the living room. Gabriel's sitting at the couch, his ever present laptop resting on his knees as he tap-taps away at the keyboard, lost in his writing. Jack smiles fondly at that and goes into the kitchen instead.

Soon enough, Gabriel enters the room as well and plops himself down right beside Jack.

“Your old roommate didn't move out in a rush, did they?” Jack asks, thoughts returning to how his room seemed suspiciously empty despite Gabe's claims of a former roommate.

Gabriel looks at him, revealing nothing in his expression. “What makes you think that?”

“For someone who had left in a rush, there really isn't much of anything forgotten in the room. I'd know. I left home in a bit of a rush and left behind several things I would've liked to have with me right now.” Gabriel raises a thick eyebrow at Jack's words but doesn't say anything. Jack continues, “and when I got in the room I thought I saw dust floating around in the sunlight.”

“You got me there.” Gabriel raises his hands in surrender.

“Why'd you lie?”

“You looked like such a lost puppy sitting there in the coffee shop, you know? Wide eyed and scared,” he explains to the blond. “It reminded me of when I first lived away from home, and how stressed out I was about everything. I wanted to pass on some kindness to you.”

Jack feels the heat rising to his face as he blushes at the kindness that is currently being shown him. “You really didn’t have to do this.”

“I wanted to.” The smile Gabriel gives him is small, but Jack thinks it’s one of the most beautiful things he’s seen in his life.

“Thanks, I really mean it.” Jack gives him a smile in return.

He spends the next couple of weeks learning how to live with the man, and how to trust him since he’s not used to trusting someone he had met so soon. He still has trouble falling asleep at night, seeing as there is no lock on the door to his bedroom. Night is the perfect time for bad memories to resurface in his mind. It’s at times like this that he struggles to convince himself that Gabriel is doing this out of kindness and that he doesn’t want to do anything malicious to him.

The look Gabriel sometimes gives him is something Jack can’t easily decipher, but Gabe hasn’t brought anything up about some of Jack’s quirks, and for that he’s grateful.

Gabriel also learns how to accommodate for Jack. Making noise when he walks around the house and Jack is home instead of his normal silent footsteps, and making sure Jack knows where he is at all times.

After one particularly bad night for Jack, who ended up hiding in the closet when Gabriel had started speaking loudly on the phone in Spanish. Jack had not understood a word, fearing that there was an argument taking place between him and his family, so he had done the only thing he could think of doing through the loudness of Gabriel’s voice. He hid in an enclosed space where he couldn’t easily be found, covering himself in some of his clothing.

Gabriel had found him not long after he had hung up. Opening up the closet door with a look of pure panic on his face that soon melts away when he sees Jack huddled in the corner, covered in sweaters.

He helps him up, Jack accepting his offered hand. Gabriel leads him to the kitchen and makes him something warm to drink, speaking soothingly about something mundane, Jack isn’t quite sure the topic, only listening to the sound of his voice.

 

* * *

  

Soon enough, after Gabriel’s patience with Jack, Jack starts returning his touches. It starts with small things, like awkwardly patting Gabriel on the back when it looks as if he’s had a long day, and eventually evolves into Jack giving the man a full blown hug one night when Jack had been feeling quite low.

As soon as Jack wraps his arms around the man, he can feel him stiffen in his embrace. This is the first time either of them have hugged the other, Gabriel not wanting to overstep any boundaries. After a moment, Gabriel returns the embrace, arms snaking around Jack and resting his chin on his shoulder, squeezing him tightly.

Jack buries his head in Gabriel’s shoulder, reveling in the comfort and warmth the other man is exuding and breathes in his scent. He can’t remember the last time he’s been given a hug like this, it was probably the last time he visited his grandfather before the man had passed away. He was a man known for giving bear hugs to anyone.

Before the hug can become awkward, Jack releases his tight grip on Gabriel, stepping back and giving him a small smile in thanks.

“Looks like you needed that, huh?” Gabriel smiles softly in return.

“Yeah, looks like I did.”

 

* * *

 

Jack can tell his mood is getting lighter since he no longer has to deal with his family anymore. He's more quick to give smiles and to start a conversation, no longer showing any discomfort or hesitation.

Honestly, he owes a lot of it to Gabriel who's been standing by his side ever since he had met him, with his deep reserves of patience, and overall soothing demeanor.

Eventually, Jack is able to quit his job at the convenience store and moves on to working as a tutor for children - it has better hours and pays more too! With the change in job, he no longer has to worry as much about making rent in time to hand over to Gabriel, or Gabriel covering for him - which he has done a handful of times, Jack feeling worse and worse on every instance.

Sure, because of his tutoring job he's putting in longer hours which include commuting, he doesn't get to see Gabriel as much, but the two of them don't mind too much.

Sometimes, the two of them will make dinner together, or just bake. Swapping family recipes and laughing at stupid stories they tell each other. Other nights they just relax in front of the TV in companionable silence as Gabriel works away on the story he's writing.

Content is the word that Jack would put to his current situation, and he honestly couldn't ask for more than what has been given to him in the past months.

Gabriel presses his shoulder against Jack's, always sitting too close to him on the couch that can easily fit three people on it. Jack doesn't mind, of course not. Why would he mind a large, fit, attractive man who has been nothing but kind to him since they had met sitting right flush against him?

He can feel his face heating up at the thought.

“What are you writing about?” Jack’s voice cuts through the drone of a show on the Food Network, a lady who lives on the farm making some type of Tex Mex food. Despite the months they have now lived together for, he's never really had an opportunity to ask the man beside him what his story is about.

Gabe glances up, eyes slightly glazed over. It sometimes takes him a moment to get out of his writing groove, lost in the world he has created.

“Wha-?”

“What’s your story about?”

Soon, Jack sees Gabriel's eyes focus on him and the present once more, and offers him a smile.

“Oh! It's about two guys.”

“Is that so?” A wry grin finds its way onto Jack's face.

“Okay, it's about a bit more than that.”

“I wouldn't have been able to guess.” Jack laughs.

“I don't need any sass coming from you, Morrison.” Gabriel shoots him an unimpressed look, Jack's grin grows wider under his gaze. “Basically the two of them meet at a Renaissance festival, and get along. Eventually they part ways but soon find themselves drawn back to each other. Other stuff happens. The fate of the world rests in their hands. One of them might die. Maybe both of them. It ends sadly. I haven't quite figured out all the details yet.”

“Sounds interesting!”

Gabriel shoots Jack a withering glare. “I don't appreciate the sarcasm.”

“I'm being genuine!”

A huff bursts out from Gabriel, the only acknowledgement he gives Jack before he swiftly returns to his writing. The tapping of the keyboard is soothing to Jack's mind and he soon finds himself lulled into a deep sleep, head drooping and eventually falling onto Gabriel's shoulder.

Soon, Jack is shifted awake as Gabriel tries to move out from under him, groggily noticing that his laptop no longer anywhere in sight. He doesn’t think he’s slept that well in years. He’s comfortable, Gabriel making a good, warm, pillow. Before Gabriel can move any further, Jack wraps his arms around him, much like one would hug a beloved teddy bear, and swiftly falls back asleep, drooling lightly on his neck.

 

* * *

  

Time for them seems to pass quickly, and before Jack knows it the two of them are celebrating New Year’s, huddled together on the couch with two glasses, and a bottle of champagne. They’re watching the ceremony on Gabriel’s old television set, sharing a blanket while waiting for the clock to hit midnight. Fortunately enough for the two of them, conversation flows easily and the joke Jack is trying to tell to Gabriel dissolves into laughter in the middle of him trying to deliver it.

“Wha- what did the pirate say on-on his eightieth birthday?” Jack finally manages to breathe out through his laughter for the fifth time. Gabriel rolls his eyes, used to Jack’s antics by now.

“I don’t know, Jack, what did the pirate say on his eightieth birthday?”

Jack continues to laugh for a good five more minutes before he can deliver the punchline, but finally he squeaks out an “aye matey” and bursts into laughter once more.Tears start to blur his vision, but he can see a blurry looking Gabriel shaking his head fondly at him and chuckling. Whether or not it was at the joke or at him, Jack didn’t know, but at this point he didn’t really care. He always enjoys hearing Gabriel laugh.

He reaches forward for the bottle of champagne to refill his glass, but before he can grab it, Gabriel gently grabs his hand and shakes his head ‘no’. “I think you’ve had enough for now, Jack.”

Jack pouts in his general direction, but Gabriel doesn’t relent. “Fine,” he sighs and leans back on the couch, looking sadly at the empty champagne flute that is still lightly in his grasp. Before he can drop it, Gabriel takes it from his hands and places it beside the bottle resting on the coffee table, shoving a bottle of water in his face and making him drink.

“I don’t want to deal with your hungover ass tomorrow.”

“But you love my ass!”

Gabriel snorts in response, resulting in Jack pouting even more.

“You keep thinking that.” He pats him lightly on the cheek, and turns back to face the tv.

Jack quickly looks at the tv to see what’s going on, but is quickly disinterested, finding Gabriel’s face to be more fascinating than the performance that is currently being broadcast. However, he’s distracted by the announcers excitedly discussing New Year’s resolutions and claiming that there’s one more minute left until midnight.

He turns back toward Gabriel, whose eyes are still glued to the tv. Before he knows it he can hear the crowd of people on tv counting down from 10, Gabriel smiling slightly along with the antics being broadcast to the entire nation.

As soon as the countdown reaches one and the crowd begins to say “Happy New Year!”, Jack grabs Gabriel by the shirt and pulls him toward himself, placing his lips onto his friend’s, kissing him chastely. He feels Gabriel stiffen in front of him, not responding. He pulls back, releasing the man from his hold, and looks at him with wide eyes, face slightly flushed from embarrassment. He suddenly feels more sober than he has all night.  

Before Jack can open his mouth and say anything, Gabriel stands up, placing his own glass of champagne on the table beside its twin, and walks to his room without saying a word. Jack feels as if his heart dropped into his stomach.

He doesn’t move from the couch, placing his head carefully into his hands thinking about how he most likely fucked up the best thing to have happened to him in his entire goddamned life. He fully expects to get kicked out by the way Gabriel had responded.

Light streaming in through the open windows wakes him up the next morning. At some point during the night he had curled up on the couch, hugging one of the cushions for comfort. He has a slight headache and his mouth tastes like shit.

Faint humming can be heard coming from the kitchen, and Jack realises Gabriel is actually awake and most likely making something by the sound of clattering that he tries to muffle.

Jack keeps his eyes closed, trying to fall back asleep, but now that he’s awake his body decides to stay that way. He can hear Gabriel walking toward the couch, gently shaking Jack on the shoulder. Jack grunts, not wanting to move, still ashamed about what had happened the night before, but Gabriel is relentless. Instead of continuing to shake him awake, he shoves a finger into one of Jack’s ears, causing Jack to flinch and almost kick him in the leg. He would have succeeded if Gabriel hadn’t moved away in time, seemingly predicting what would have happened.

“Wake up, Jackass,” he says and nudges him in the side.

Jack groans and finally opens his eyes. Gabriel is standing in front of him, holding a cup of what smells like coffee in his left hand, looking down at him fondly, a small smile on his face. Slowly, he sits up, running a hand through his already messy hair, which results in it sticking up in every conceivable direction. Gabriel chuckles, and hands the coffee to him.

Jack stares down at the coffee in surprise, hesitantly taking it from the other man’s grasp and  takes a small sip of the ridiculously sweet liquid. Just how he likes it.

“You don’t hate me?” Jack asks in a small voice.

Gabriel sits down next to him on the couch, shooting him a confused look. “No, why would I hate you?”

“I did suddenly kiss you last night.” He looks away, shame bubbling up inside him. The coffee radiating warmth in his hand a welcome comfort.

Gabriel laughs. “Is that what this is about? I thought you wouldn’t remember, you were drinking a lot of the champagne. You’re such a lightweight.”  

“Hey! It’s not like I can purchase my own alcohol.” Jack gives Gabriel a quick glare. “And as a matter of fact I remember quite clearly what happened last night. And I’m sorry for what happened. I shouldn’t have done it. Especially when you’re not interested.”

Gabriel looks incredulous. “Jack, I want to kiss you. I’ve wanted to do it since we met in that shitty café.” Jack stares at the man, eyes wide. “I didn’t want our first kiss to be with one of us being drunk. I know it’s cheesy, but - “

He isn’t able to finish the sentence, because Jack is kissing him again, joy bubbling up in his chest. This time, Gabriel responds happily.

They part after several seconds, the grin on Jack’s face is painful, and his face is flushed a light shade of pink, but he doesn’t think he could be happier in this moment. Gabriel is also smiling, and Jack feels his heart swell.

“So.”

“So,” Gabriel echoes.

“Does this mean we’re boyfriends now?”

Gabriel laughs. “If that’s what you want it to mean.”

  

* * *

 

Kisses on the neck. Laughter. Fingers gently pulling at soft curls as he kisses the man he loves. Gabriel setting a slow pace. Gasping. The two of them worshipping each other. A smile as bright as the sun. A blush covering his body. The man he loves speaking Spanish softly in his ear.

They finish, Gabriel cleans them up, and they settle beside each other, sharing lazy kisses. Both are tired, but Jack doesn't want to sleep yet. He's content to spend the rest of the night staring at, and kissing Gabriel.

Gabriel quickly falls asleep, however, pulling Jack to his chest, breathing heavily in his ear. Jack doesn't mind in the slightest, happy to play with Gabriel's curls, thinking about how much his life has gotten better ever since Gabriel butted himself into it and decided to stubbornly stay. The soft breaths puffing against his skin soon lull him into a dreamless sleep.

Waking up in someone else’s arms is quite the experience, Jack thinks in the morning, still pressed flush against Gabriel’s chest, the other man using him much like a teddy bear, and now drooling on his lover’s shoulder. Jack shoots him a disgusted look that he knows won’t be seen.

He tries to worm his way out from the tight grasp, but is immediately pulled back, a nose burying itself in the crook of his neck and breathing in his scent.

“Don’t go. Not yet,” Gabriel mutters, still mostly asleep.

Humming his acknowledgement, Jack leans forward, placing a kiss on Gabriel’s nose and forehead.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

 

* * *

 

The sudden, loud pounding of someone knocking on the door wakes Gabriel up from the nap he'd been taking, disturbing one of his rare days off. He turns over in his bed, and shuffles back under the covers, trying his best to ignore it. But whoever's at the door doesn't let up. They continue their assault.

Gabriel swears under his breath and angrily pads toward the front door, ready to verbally berate whoever's on the other end into submission. However, any and all anger in his mind completely vanishes when he opens the door to be face to face with a sombre looking police officer.

“Gabriel Reyes?”

Gabriel nods. “Anything I can help you with, officer?” he asks, trying to mask any worry with fake nonchalance.

“I'm Officer Wilhelm.” He stiffens under the officer's unwavering gaze. The officer is holding his hat politely in his hands, his large form looks defeated as he refuses to meet Gabriel's eyes. The worry he's feeling immediately changes to dread.

Wilhelm looks over to him, finally meeting his gaze and sighing before he speaks. Voice soft.

“Jack Morrison was in an accident.”

Gabriel feels his stomach drop, blood draining from his face.

“What?” he chokes out, leaning heavily on the door frame for support. “Is this a prank? This is a prank, right?”

The officer just looks at him with sad eyes. “I'm afraid this is not a joke. He was hit by a driver.”

“Is he okay?” Gabriel's vision is swimming, he feels like he can't breathe. Wilhelm places a large hand on his shoulder, an attempt to ground him. He lets himself be led to the kitchen and placed into one of the chairs at the table - Jack's spot, his mind weakly supplies.

Officer Wilhelm sits on the chair opposite - the sight would be comical in any other situation - and releases a heavy sigh. “He received several severe lacerations to his lower body and was bleeding out heavily from a head injury, and several cuts.”

“Was?” Gabriel croaks.

“I'm afraid he didn't make it to the hospital. His injuries were too severe, he died while several civilians were calling first response. His body couldn’t handle the shock.”

In that moment Gabriel is grateful for the chair he's sitting on, he feels as if he's a puppet who got its strings cut. He stares blankly in front of him, slumped over.

“Thank you, Officer.”

Wilhelm gives him a lingering look of pity before he stands up and let's himself out. Before he closes the door he mentions something about not being alone during this time. Gabriel ignores him.

For the rest of the evening he sits at the table, in Jack's seat, waiting for him to come home even though he knows that won't happen. He doesn't move, not when he hears knocking at his door for the second time that evening, and not when he feels his stomach turn in hunger.

He takes his phone out from his pocket, staring at the last text Jack had sent him. It was a simple “love you <3” that was sent roughly around the time Jack took the bus to one of his client's houses to tutor a kid in math. Gabriel remembers his heart swelling when he read the message, happy that he finally got the man to finally use emoticons. A small victory.

He remains for the rest of the night in that chair. Grasping his phone as if it were a lifeline, feeling numb.

He's woken from his trance when someone knocks frantically at his door. He stands up and shuffles over, opening the door to reveal one of his sisters, a smile on her face that soon disappears as soon as she takes a look at her brother.

“Gabo?” she asks, resting a hand gently on his cheek, and stroking the dark circles under his eyes.

As soon as Gabriel makes eye contact with her, he crumbles. He pulls her into his arms, buries his face in her shoulder, and finally lets the tears fall.

Gently, his sister strokes his hair, shushing him. “What's wrong?” she cautiously prods.

All he can do is crush his poor sister against him even more. The news of Jack's death hadn't reached her, or anyone else yet.

“He's gone,” he chokes out. “Just like that. Yesterday he was full of life and some fucking asshole stole it from him in a second!” The sadness quickly melting away into anger. He releases his sister and returns to the chair.

His sister trails after him. “He?”

“Jack! He didn't deserve to die! God, he wasn't even 20 yet!” he yells, and places his head in his hands, pulling at his hair to try to distract himself from the pain. He wipes his nose on his hand.

His sister wordlessly places a hand on his shoulder, unknowingly echoing the actions of the police officer the night before.

He attends the funeral for Jack a week later. Closed casket, not many people show up. He sees a couple who share similarities to his significant other, but doesn't bother approaching them, knowing the lengths Jack had gone to in order to get away from his parents. They look disappointed as they stare at the coffin. Gabriel ignores them for the rest of the service, seeking comfort in his own family who never had a chance to meet his boyfriend, only hearing about him through their son. They would have adored him.

As soon as he's able to, he leaves. He needs air. He doesn't think he'd be able to deal with Jack's parents talking about the son they never bothered to know, and the regrets they undoubtedly have.

He walks home at a brisk pace, eyeing the cars that pass him as he goes.

 

* * *

 

An empty pill bottle falls out of Gabriel's hand.

 

* * *

 

Years into the future, a blond man will be standing at attention beside a dark skinned man wearing a beanie, and a few scars painting his face. A spark of familiarity hits the blond deep in his chest. He's sure he's seen this man before, almost 100% sure of it.

Once the CO has left from introducing herself and yelling at the entire room that she'll whip them all into shape even if they all die in the process, before they'll begin the injections to turn them into super soldiers, Jack turns to face the man beside him. He sticks out his hand to the man who will be his partner throughout the entirety of the Soldier Enhancement Program - not that he knows this yet - and offers him a smile that his future partner will one day think lights up the entire room.

“Have we met before?”

“No, if we had I would've remembered.”

**Author's Note:**

> I love death and dying. 
> 
> But anyway, about a month ago I asked my friend to give me a prompt, and boy did she deliver. She sent me two sentences, two small sentences, and then it spiraled completely out of control and became this beast. 
> 
> So, a big thanks and shout out to TimelessTragedy for beta-reading, for sending me the prompt, and for putting up with me sending her random bits of this story and complaining about it a good deal. She's honestly been such a big help <3
> 
> I actually have some "fun facts" about this fic, but I don't think I'll add them here. I want to keep them a mystery for now. Maybe they'll pop up later, maybe I'll write more for this. But for now, I am satisfied. 
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @eachael
> 
> Thank you so much for reading <3


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